The One That Got Away

[Exhibitman]

Another regret: I remember being at a show here in LA where someone had a stack of Cobb-signed checks for $50 each. I figured there was plenty of time to get one since he had a stack. Wrong!

[irv]

I passed on a PSA 4 1956 Mantle for about a 1/4 of what they go for today but my biggest regret to this day is not acting sooner with my Uncle's 52 Topps cards, that included an Eddie Mathews.

At the time, I told him if he was ever going to sell them, to let me know, but not knowing back then what I know now, I should have hounded him for sure as he ended up selling them to a pawn shop sometime between then and 5 yrs ago.
I'm not sure why he did that, other than him thinking he likely could get more at a pawn shop than he would from me, but to this day, whenever I see a 52 Topps Mathews, I immediately think back to what could have been.

[Fred]

I wouldn't even know where to start...

How about over (300) T206 with HOFers (Matty, Johnson, others) for about $1200. Mind you this was 4 decades ago...

There's more... makes me laugh at myself now... If, If, If, If... All good, no complaints - I've enjoyed this hobby so how can I look back and wonder "what if"... crap, time to find a fifth of something...

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Another regret: I remember being at a show here in LA where someone had a stack of Cobb-signed checks for $50 each. I figured there was plenty of time to get one since he had a stack. Wrong!

That's funny - must have been the same guy I had the same opportunity to buy those checks from, but it was $35 a check. Yes, a pile of them.

I think it was about mid/late 80s. It was a baseball card shop near Beverly Hills.

Here's a neat story - Sports Card Plus (Dave Kohler) used to have a shop in Westminister (just to the east of Huntington Beach) back in the 80s, before he hit the big time in sport memorabilia. I remember Dave as a really nice guy. I'd cherry pick the NrMt cards he had. I picked up a MINT, yes MINT (ok, worst case NRMT-MT) Fleer William set (with Ted signs) for $200. Back then that was double book, but it was SO CLEAN - I haven't seen a cleaner set before or after that.

So many fun hobby stories to tell...

[steve B]

Moved to a new town and started hanging out at the local card shop in 1977. Till maybe 83/84 ish.

So many things got away simply because stuff was cheap then.
33 Goudey Ruths for 100.
One year they bought a 52 Mantle for a then record price, I think 900?
T206 Hof ers for $10 each in VG.

Orr Rookie- the US test version - 100? For a hockey card?!?
Boxful- probably 400+ of the tiny feltback football cards.
54 Aaron at the first show I went to for 60...

So much other stuff.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Another regret: I remember being at a show here in LA where someone had a stack of Cobb-signed checks for $50 each. I figured there was plenty of time to get one since he had a stack. Wrong!

The ole Buy It When You See It adage....

I remember about 20 yrs ago walking around a National. Maybe my first one or second one. I had seen an E92 Dockman Young for 200 dollars. A hobby friend told me to go buy it. I looked and looked....and finally found it. So, I let it go at first and was lucky enough to be able to go back and find it. Sorry, wrong twist on this thread but it's baseball cards and sort of close, kind of.....and I don't remember a good one that got away except the Colgans part of the Trucker Boy Find....